Misconceptions

[Silverspringcruiser]

On 12/15/2023 at 12:12 PM, navybankerteacher said:

that fresh fish is not likely to be served on a cruise ship

Holland America is heavily promoting that they serve fresh fish.

 

Global Fresh Fish

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, Silverspringcruiser said:

Holland America is heavily promoting that they serve fresh fish.

 

Global Fresh Fish

I am sure they do it on (rare) occasion - I recall a Quebec to New York sailing where HAL  served fresh lobster - - which they brought on board at Bar Harbor — but fish does not generally travel very well - and if you look closely at the fish counter at your local supermarket you will usually see the words “previously frozen”.  
 

What they load on board is almost always frozen -  which is not really what people think of when they see the word “fresh”.  If you think anything which isn’t canned is fresh, that’s one thing;  I would not really want to eat fish which has been simply chilled from when it was caught, to brought to fish market, to purchased by cruise line, to sitting on the dock until loaded on board, to being in the refrigerator on ship until cooked and served.   Unless you live near where caught, the fish you eat has usually been frozen.

 

I do not think frozen fish is any more fresh than Birdseye frozen Peas are.

[auntmeg]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

I am sure they do it on (rare) occasion - I recall a Quebec to New York sailing where HAL  served fresh lobster - - which they brought on board at Bar Harbor — but fish does not generally travel very well - and if you look closely at the fish counter at your local supermarket you will usually see the words “previously frozen”.  
 

What they load on board is almost always frozen -  which is not really what people think of when they see the word “fresh”.  If you think anything which isn’t canned is fresh, that’s one thing;  I would not really want to eat fish which has been simply chilled from when it was caught, to brought to fish market, to purchased by cruise line, to sitting on the dock until loaded on board, to being in the refrigerator on ship until cooked and served.   Unless you live near where caught, the fish you eat has usually been frozen.

 

I do not think frozen fish is any more fresh than Birdseye frozen Peas are.

From their website:

"This comes after an already successful initiative where we became the first cruise line to serve 100% fresh, certified sustainable Alaska seafood on board while cruising in Alaska. Now we’re taking fresh fish worldwide. The program also includes daily fresh fish specials and a planned expansion of Savor My Catch, where guests can have their fresh catch from select shore excursions prepared and served to them on board.

Whether you’re cruising the Caribbean, basking in the Mediterranean sun, sailing the fjords in Northern Europe, or embarking on adventures in other destinations around the world, you’ll enjoy a variety of dining options with fresh fish and flavors inspired by your destinations. Our award-winning dining experience is just one way we deliver an unforgettable journey for guests."

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, auntmeg said:

From their website:

"This comes after an already successful initiative where we became the first cruise line to serve 100% fresh, certified sustainable Alaska seafood on board while cruising in Alaska. Now we’re taking fresh fish worldwide. The program also includes daily fresh fish specials and a planned expansion of Savor My Catch, where guests can have their fresh catch from select shore excursions prepared and served to them on board.

Whether you’re cruising the Caribbean, basking in the Mediterranean sun, sailing the fjords in Northern Europe, or embarking on adventures in other destinations around the world, you’ll enjoy a variety of dining options with fresh fish and flavors inspired by your destinations. Our award-winning dining experience is just one way we deliver an unforgettable journey for guests."

It would be interesting to know how many cruises provide these experiences, whether it happens in MDR or only alternative (extra cost) venues, and what the additional costs would be.

[CDNPolar]

This is purely from observation, but I will back this up this coming week when I talk with the Chef.

 

I have sailed Viking River and Ocean.  Both in my opinion bring on Fresh Fish in many of the ports that they dock at.

 

Many of the larger lines - bigger ships - will bring on most of their food at the beginning of the sailing and this could mean frozen fish.  We have however on both Viking Ocean and River seen fresh fish being brought on at various ports where we have docked.  Our knowledge is that Viking have many ports that they refresh their stocks and one of the stocks is fresh fish.

[sparks1093]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I am sure they do it on (rare) occasion - I recall a Quebec to New York sailing where HAL  served fresh lobster - - which they brought on board at Bar Harbor — but fish does not generally travel very well - and if you look closely at the fish counter at your local supermarket you will usually see the words “previously frozen”.  
 

What they load on board is almost always frozen -  which is not really what people think of when they see the word “fresh”.  If you think anything which isn’t canned is fresh, that’s one thing;  I would not really want to eat fish which has been simply chilled from when it was caught, to brought to fish market, to purchased by cruise line, to sitting on the dock until loaded on board, to being in the refrigerator on ship until cooked and served.   Unless you live near where caught, the fish you eat has usually been frozen.

 

I do not think frozen fish is any more fresh than Birdseye frozen Peas are.

Exactly. Many fishing boats will freeze their catch because they spend so long at sea filling their holds that it is the only way to get the fish back to port without it spoiling. It is possible after reading the description of what HAL offers that they are sourcing locally caught fish that hasn't been previously frozen, but their description does not rule out that some of what they source may have been frozen at sea after being caught. Virtually every type of fish and seafood at my local supermarket bears the words "previously frozen", because that is the only safe way to get it to northern Vermont from wherever it was caught. (This reminds me of a scene from a movie [but not the title of the movie but I think it starred Walter Mathieu] where the character was debating with a store clerk about the term "fresh frozen". According to the character, if it's frozen, it isn't fresh. And he was right.)

Edited December 20, 2023 by sparks1093

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

This is purely from observation, but I will back this up this coming week when I talk with the Chef.

 

I have sailed Viking River and Ocean.  Both in my opinion bring on Fresh Fish in many of the ports that they dock at.

 

Many of the larger lines - bigger ships - will bring on most of their food at the beginning of the sailing and this could mean frozen fish.  We have however on both Viking Ocean and River seen fresh fish being brought on at various ports where we have docked.  Our knowledge is that Viking have many ports that they refresh their stocks and one of the stocks is fresh fish.

Of course Viking, as a premium line, will serve vastly different meals than NCL, Carnival, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean, etc. on which the vast majority of posters on these threads sail.

[CDNPolar]

Just now, navybankerteacher said:

Of course Viking, as a premium line, will serve vastly different meals than NCL, Carnival, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean, etc. on which the vast majority of posters on these threads sail.

 

I may be incorrect with this statement, but I understand that the "larger" lines and larger ships typically only bring food on in their embarkation port - usually a US port - to control the risk of food borne illness.  This I fully understand and support.  They have their trusted suppliers and they don't want to take risks.

 

It is a fact that lines like Viking do bring on food and supplies from various ports that they dock at.  This would allow for more fresh options.

 

I however see your point.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I may be incorrect with this statement, but I understand that the "larger" lines and larger ships typically only bring food on in their embarkation port - usually a US port - to control the risk of food borne illness.  This I fully understand and support.  They have their trusted suppliers and they don't want to take risks.

 

It is a fact that lines like Viking do bring on food and supplies from various ports that they dock at.  This would allow for more fresh options.

 

I however see your point.

 

That is very likely, except for it usually being a US port.  Cruise lines have a large number of itineraries that don't touch any US port.   

 

During our last cruise out of San Francisco, there was a long line of pallets full of food stuffs being loaded.  It doesn't mean it didn't happen but I didn't notice food being loaded at the port stops.    

[navybankerteacher]

On 12/20/2023 at 2:16 PM, ldubs said:

 

That is very likely, except for it usually being a US port.  Cruise lines have a large number of itineraries that don't touch any US port.   

 

During our last cruise out of San Francisco, there was a long line of pallets full of food stuffs being loaded.  It doesn't mean it didn't happen but I didn't notice food being loaded at the port stops.    

For quality (and cost) control reasons, mass market lines tend to strictly limit food deliveries at intermediate ports.

[sparks1093]

"I won't benefit from having the drink package because I don't drink that much". Maybe. Maybe not. There are drink calculators that one can use to determine whether or not this one is true for each individual, such as Drink Package Calculator - Cruise Spotlight. Many drink packages offer things to drink other than alcohol and it can all add up. 

Edited December 22, 2023 by sparks1093

[shipgeeks]

Misconception:  "The most desirable cabins are on the highest decks".  (They cost the most, so they must be the best.)

Reality:  Unlike the Empire State Building, height doesn't necessarily provide a better view.  For anyone concerned about seasickness or ship movement, the lower the better. And apart from the outdoor pool, which is on an upper deck, public rooms - restaurants, bars, theater, casino - can be high or low, so getting to them will almost always require some walking or elevator, no matter where one's cabin is.

[Hlitner]

We think the misconception by many of us who love to cruise is that everyone will love to cruise.  Over 50 years of extensive cruising we have seen and met folks who simply should not be on a cruise ship.  

 

Hank

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 12/5/2023 at 5:02 AM, CDNPolar said:

She says that she always wanted to try Viking but they are SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE than the larger ships that she sails on.

 

I finally said... ok.  Please do this for me.  You see Viking advertised at $6000.00pp and your cruise is $4,500.00pp.

nope, our cruises are less than $3K for all three of us (including port fees and grats), so yeah - Viking is so much more expensive. We only purchased wifi 3 times over the years (it cost us less than $100 each time).  We rarely drink alcohol, and our excursions don't cost more than $200 a day, and most of the time way less than that. Maybe, because we currently cruise in the Caribbean only, but still. The cheapest Viking cruise I see available is $4K pp. Even if we add a ton of excursions, we won't get anywhere close to $12K total.

 

I believe it's a misconception to think that someone who can only afford a mainstream line always gets ALL the packages and, therefore, brings their total cruise cost to be on par with a premium line like Viking which includes all this premium content in their base fare.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

nope, our cruises are less than $3K for all three of us (including port fees and grats), so yeah - Viking is so much more expensive. We only purchased wifi 3 times over the years (it cost us less than $100 each time).  We rarely drink alcohol, and our excursions don't cost more than $200 a day, and most of the time way less than that. Maybe, because we currently cruise in the Caribbean only, but still. The cheapest Viking cruise I see available is $4K pp. Even if we add a ton of excursions, we won't get anywhere close to $12K total.

 

I believe it's a misconception to think that someone who can only afford a mainstream line always gets ALL the packages and, therefore, brings their total cruise cost to be on par with a premium line like Viking which includes all this premium content in their base fare.

I agree.  I like the model of a base fare then a menu of options.  Everyone values different aspects of travel and there is no right or wrong.  I read a lot of people discussing butlers, luxury and so on and I simply don’t require that nor do I want to pay for it. I would rather travel very often than have a butler. 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Mary229

[CDNPolar]

On 12/31/2023 at 1:00 AM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

nope, our cruises are less than $3K for all three of us (including port fees and grats), so yeah - Viking is so much more expensive. We only purchased wifi 3 times over the years (it cost us less than $100 each time).  We rarely drink alcohol, and our excursions don't cost more than $200 a day, and most of the time way less than that. Maybe, because we currently cruise in the Caribbean only, but still. The cheapest Viking cruise I see available is $4K pp. Even if we add a ton of excursions, we won't get anywhere close to $12K total.

 

I believe it's a misconception to think that someone who can only afford a mainstream line always gets ALL the packages and, therefore, brings their total cruise cost to be on par with a premium line like Viking which includes all this premium content in their base fare.

My point was only that SHE thought she

was saving money against the posted fares of Viking but since she added on all the extras she was on par in pricing. 
 

I did not say that you cannot do it cheaper at all.  Of course you can. 
 

 

[cruiseaholic777]

Most of our friends that we have brought into the world of cruising, thought that the ship is always rocking. After a  few cruises they don't even take dramamine anymore.

[Hlitner]

21 hours ago, cruiseaholic777 said:

Most of our friends that we have brought into the world of cruising, thought that the ship is always rocking. After a  few cruises they don't even take dramamine anymore.

Some folks seem to adapt to ship motion while others go through life with seasick issues.  When DW and I started cruising (about 50 years ago) we had our problems.  In the early years we took Dramamine, later switched to Bonine (Meclizine), and even tried the Transderm Scop patches.  Eventually we got to a point where we seldom were bothered by motion (even when in 40 foot seas) although DW will still take Boninie if things start to get rough.  I still can get car sick (especially when riding in the back of a car) but have not been seasick in far more than 1300 days on cruise ships.

 

We also know, first hand, that while some folks truly have a motion issue (we are told this is an inner ear problem) others have a mental problem.  We have actually witnessed a lady turn green (and get sick) on a ship that was tied up in a river that was completely motionless.  As soon as she stepped on any ship she would start to get quesy.  The lady was completely "psyched out" by ships.  It does happen.

 

Hank

[sparks1093]

29 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Some folks seem to adapt to ship motion while others go through life with seasick issues.  When DW and I started cruising (about 50 years ago) we had our problems.  In the early years we took Dramamine, later switched to Bonine (Meclizine), and even tried the Transderm Scop patches.  Eventually we got to a point where we seldom were bothered by motion (even when in 40 foot seas) although DW will still take Boninie if things start to get rough.  I still can get car sick (especially when riding in the back of a car) but have not been seasick in far more than 1300 days on cruise ships.

 

We also know, first hand, that while some folks truly have a motion issue (we are told this is an inner ear problem) others have a mental problem.  We have actually witnessed a lady turn green (and get sick) on a ship that was tied up in a river that was completely motionless.  As soon as she stepped on any ship she would start to get quesy.  The lady was completely "psyched out" by ships.  It does happen.

 

Hank

When I was stationed on an aircraft carrier I had a young sailor that worked for me that had to be sent to bed if we took anything over a 1 degree roll repeatedly. Absolutely could not handle it. I often wondered if it was more psychosomatic then physical, but I never knew and couldn't ask. (To his credit he never took unfair advantage of his condition.) 

[shipgeeks]

Misconception:  If sitting in a lounge with live music, one is expected to buy a drink.

Fact:  Not true at all; it's entirely optional.  With the occasional exception of a paid event, all venues are open for all passengers.  If offered a drink, and you don't want one, just say No thanks.  Typically, the server will place a paper napkin on the table and turn down the drink menu, which signals the other servers not to pester you.

[Elaine5715]

On 12/15/2023 at 12:12 PM, navybankerteacher said:

I suspect that the “food obsession” remark was a comment  regarding my mentioning that fresh fish is not likely to be served on a cruise ship, in response to a poster who said that salad and fresh fish was all that was needed.

 

interesting how threads get frayed.

If people actually knew if you didn't catch it yourself, the fish was most likely frozen

[Elaine5715]

On 12/19/2023 at 11:37 AM, puppycanducruise said:

I wonder if they won't ride in an airplane because they can't fly.🤔

We all can fly.  It is the landing.

[Elaine5715]

Misconception-My cell phone doesn't work onboard.  I may have started that one.

[MacMadame]

54 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

If people actually knew if you didn't catch it yourself, the fish was most likely frozen

I once had fish (lake trout) caught that morning and it was not only amazing but nothing like any fish I've ever eaten. I do think the difference is that those other fish filets were frozen.

[SoloAlaska]

Misconception is “you’ll gain weight on a cruise” not true for me. I eat what I want and have been known to have double deserts even and still can loose weight on a cruise.